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Committee hears wide support to repeal North Dakota’s HIV‑specific felony (HB1217)
Summary
Health officials, civil‑liberties groups and people living with HIV urged repeal of North Dakota Century Code §12.1‑20‑17, arguing the statute is outdated, unused and stigmatizing. Witnesses said modern treatment makes HIV non‑transmissible when virally suppressed and that existing criminal and public‑health laws can address intentional harm.
Representative Gretchen Dobrovich told the Senate Human Services Committee House Bill 1217 would repeal North Dakota Century Code section 12.1‑20‑17, a felony provision that specifically criminalizes knowingly transferring HIV to another person.
"It is discriminatory that people with one infectious disease are treated differently than people with another infectious disease," Dobrovich said, noting that HIV treatment advances and prevention tools such as PrEP and PEP have changed transmission risk and outcomes since the statute was enacted decades ago.
The committee…
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